Career Options

The work settings and day-to-day activities of toxicologists can vary tremendously depending on whether they are conducting experiments in the laboratory, analyzing data at their desks or communicating risks to workers and the general public.

Industry Toxicologists

These toxicologists contribute to the development of new and useful products like pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and a huge variety of consumer products (e.g. soaps, cosmetics, food additives, paints, etc).  They perform toxicity testing experiments and evaluate other relevant data collected by other laboratories.  This provides vital information for evaluating the safety of a drug or other chemical that helps to set allowable dosages, exposure concentrations and other necessary regulatory requirements.

Regulatory Toxicologists

This group of toxicologists decides if a drug or other chemical is safe enough to be on the consumer market, and if it is, then how much a person could be exposed to without becoming intoxicated.  A background in life sciences, along with training in epidemiology, statistics, and other areas of public health would be appropriate if you are interested in this field.

Environmental Toxicologists

Toxicologists with this specialty study the impact of chemical pollution in our communities and surrounding environments, including specific ecosystems.  They may work in universities, consulting companies or government agencies.  A background in public health or environmental sciences is helpful to have when you work in this field.

Forensic Toxicologists

These toxicologists are concerned with the medical and legal consequences of adverse effects of chemicals on humans and animals.  The expertise of a forensic toxicologist is frequently called upon when establishing the cause of death in a postmortem investigation.  An academic background that would be useful in this field would include analytical chemistry and pathology.

Clinical Toxicologists

This group of toxicologists handles patients with acute and chronic diseases caused by toxic substances.  Frequently, the training in this field begins with a degree in nursing, pharmacy or medicine.  Poison Control Centers throughout the country require the services of clinical toxicologists.

Industrial Hygienists

This group of professionals is concerned with controlling chemical and physical hazards in the workplace.  They ensure that companies are in compliance with regulatory agency standards pertaining to occupational safety and health.  The expertise of an Industrial Hygienist is critical in reviewing and implementing procedures for evaluating potential harmful exposures to the worker and controlling or eliminating these exposures.  A undergraduate degree in toxicology is ideal as a background for this specialty.  A background in public health or environmental sciences is helpful to have when you work in this field.